[gradivus]

data jacks give a 1 point noise reduction.

Is this stackable? For example, do you have 3 points of noise reduction if you have 3 datajacks?

[Namikaze]

According to a developer, Aaron, it is stackable.  I believe this was confirmed by Bull for Missions play, but I don't have my FAQ in front of me to be 100%on that.

[Herr Brackhaus]

The Missions FAQ only has this to say about datajacks:

Do datajacks require a fiberoptic cable?
Datajacks can operate as receivers for wireless signals, effectively acting as an antenna in your brainmeat. However some devices will require a direct fiberoptic connection (throwbacks or devices that have had their wireless turned off or disabled). But under normal circumstances, you can use a datajack wirelessly.

As Namikaze pointed out Aaron stated that the wireless benefit of noise reduction stacks if you have multiple jacks. This is somewhat supported by the fact that Quantum Princess, one of the Season 5 Missions NPCs, has two of them.

[Xenon]

We don't stack them at our table. If we did then my Decker would for sure get at least 5 data jacks....!

[firebug]

We don't stack them at our table. If we did then my Decker would for sure get at least 5 data jacks....!

I don't see why every decker wouldn't at least get three.  They're cheap in money and essence.  Them and signal scrubber and you'll almost never deal with noise, and any noise you do suffer from would have to be "this was intended to be overkill for making the top-line commlinks stop working via jamming, not just a minor dice penalty to your hacking".  Meanwhile I weep for technomancers...  Oh Data Trails, this one yearns for you.

[Herr Brackhaus]

Street Level play is almost impossible if you use the core rules on noise. Just being in the Barrens or Downtown Seattle is likely to knock out a DR 1 deck without the benefit of a wireless datajack (Noise 2 in both cases, DR1 + NR 1 = device remains online). Add more than 100m of distance, or travel to the commercial district or wilderness, and a street level decker with a DR1 deck needs at least 3 more noise reduction just for his deck to remain functional.

In other words, I think it's important to consider the implications of noise (and background counts) from not just the perspective of high-end runners with DR4+ decks, but also the lower end of the spectrum to find a balance of what is realistic and/or possible for the setting to even work in an everyday kind of situation.

I'd also like to add that throughout the history of Shadowrun, including everything from rulebooks to novels, characters and NPCs have had multiple datajacks. Unless there was an in-setting benefit to this, I very much doubt the writers would have presented their characters performing this kind of surgery without rhyme or reason.

[Xenon]

I agree that it is important to consider the implications of noise from a low end perspective as well (maybe even more so).

However,
I assume yo are talking about "SR5 p. 421 Wireless Bonuses"?
This pass might or might not only apply to Wireless Bonuses (and not about totally blocking all wireless functionality - but yes, there is some debate about this too... just as there is still a debate if data jack wireless bonus stack or not).

Also, it is not affected by noise due to distance (no matter if it at your table only block wireless bonus or totally block wireless functionality).


SR5 p. 421 Wireless Bonuses
When an item has additional functionality when connected to the Matrix, it’s described under the “Wireless” entry in the item’s description. This functionality only applies when the device has access to the Matrix, which is most of the time unless your gamemaster says otherwise, like if you’ve entered a wireless static zone. If there is a Noise Rating from a situation that is greater than the item’s Device Rating, not including distance, the item temporarily loses its wireless functionality (see Noise, p. 230).

...travel to the commercial district or wilderness, and a street level decker with a DR1 deck needs at least 3 more noise reduction just for his deck to remain functional.

A decker on a DR1 deck would get 1 point of noise reduction from his data jack and in a high noise area like a commercial area or the wilderness would probably load signal scrub that provide another 2 points of noise reduction. So in this situation he would probably be fine even on an Erika MCD-1 or Microdeck Summit.

[Xenon]

Earlier editions of SR was not wireless (at all).
One jack for your cyberdeck wire.
One jack for your smartgun wire.
One jack for your....

[Ursus Maior]

This actually still makes sense for combat deckers and even certain forms of samurais. Plugging in your main weapon allows you to access your smart(ed) gun, while being offline. Sure, you'll loose the wifi boni, but often enough those can be lived without or you switch your wifi only on, when it is absolutely necessary.

Still: I hope Data Trail will clear up alot of things.

[Xenon]

The benefit you get from using a wire from your smartgun to your goggles (or your data jack if you have internal smartlink) is that you can fire around corners without taking the blind fire modifer, get increased accuracy and is immune from hacking attempts.

If you connect your smartgun wireless and have it work in concert with your DNI then you might be hacked, but you can still fire around corners, get increased accuracy - and you can now also change firing mode and eject clip as a free action, compensate for wind, get both bonuses on each Take Aim action and get the positive dice pool modifier.

[8-bit]

I don't see why every decker wouldn't at least get three.  They're cheap in money and essence.  Them and signal scrubber and you'll almost never deal with noise, and any noise you do suffer from would have to be "this was intended to be overkill for making the top-line commlinks stop working via jamming, not just a minor dice penalty to your hacking".  Meanwhile I weep for technomancers...  Oh Data Trails, this one yearns for you.

If they stacked indefinitely, I don't see why any decker wouldn't get 10 of the damn things. It's really cheap.

This is a thread about how many people allow to stack. I would probably limit it to 3, max. They do stack, but just have a talk with your GM about how many will stack (or if he houserules it to not stack).

[Ursus Maior]

Or analogous to attribute enhancments? So that basically nothing can ever improve your natural level of whatever by more than +4 (+5?).

[Nartaki Post]

I believe the the datajack is meant to be stack-able with other different means of noise reduction.  So you connect to your deck with a data jack for 1 pt of noise reduction, and then run a Signal Scrub program for 2 more points, stacking up to a total of 3 points of noise reduction.  Having multiple data jacks would let you plug into multiple devices at once, but not plug into one device multiple times. 

[Herr Brackhaus]

Nartaki Post
Note that the Missions ruling for datajacks means you are not required to plug a device into the datajack to receive the noise reduction. The noise reduction is a wireless benefit, meaning it contributes to strengthening your connection to the matrix as a whole.